After discovering not all schools in the state were asking their students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, the Pennsylvania state Senate unanimously passed legislation last week requiring all state private and public school students to recite the pledge or sing the national anthem every morning.

As U.S. citizens, our freedom to not speak should be considered just as much as our freedom to speak. Students should not be required to recite the pledge or sing the anthem daily.

The pledge is more meaningful when it is not a required, daily ritual. Otherwise it becomes more ceremonious than symbolic.

Efforts to display patriotism were emphasized much more after Sept. 11. It is good to be patriotic, but in this case where people are forced to show pride for being an American, patriotic efforts lose their meaning.

Students in Pennsylvania are allowed to abstain from repeating the pledge or singing the anthem if their personal beliefs or religion go against it, but first their parents must be notified. Having to ask for permission to abstain from the act causes students to be singled out from their classmates, rather than promoting a feeling of unity, which is the meaning behind patriotism. Just because some students are religiously or morally against reciting the pledge, it does not mean they don’t support their country.

Pride and support for one’s country should be bred from objective, truthful education so students have the facts necessary to form their own opinions. It should not come from being required to recite a pledge that students may or may not associate with meaning or sentiment.

It is great to show patriotism for one’s country, but the government shouldn’t have the power to require it by law.